Escaflormers
by HyalineReverie
Summary: Transformers Cross-Over. Hitomi is a tough, independent car thief from the slums. Van is an upper-class, well mannered charmer from the rich side of Angel City. When Hitomi is sent on a mission to steal one specific car, both of their lives will change...
1. Author's Notes

_**Author's Note:**__I do not own _any _of the Escaflowne characters (although I wish dearly I did Van, meow!) and nor do I claim any credit for the anime's storyline - although, that's not really relevant, as this storyline has not much to do with it. But this is __**my **__version of Escaflowne in a single Oneshot. Don't like it? Don't read it then - I will not tolerate pointless flames. _

_Oh, and yes, this is a songfic inspired by the legendary Sting and his song "Stolen Car":_

"Late at night in summer heat. Expensive car, empty street  
There's a wire in my jacket. This is my trade  
It only takes a moment, don't be afraid  
I can hotwire an ignition like some kind of star  
I'm just a poor **girl** in a rich **woman's** car  
So I whisper to the engine, flick on the lights  
And we drive into the night...

Oh the smell of the leather always excited my imagination  
And I picture myself in this different situation  
I'm a company director, two kids and a wife  
I get the feeling that there's more to this one's life  
There's some kind of complication, he tells her he's alone  
Spends the night with his lover, there's a trace of her cologne  
And the words of his mistress, as she whispers them so near  
Start ringing in my ear...

Please take me dancing tonight I've been all on my own  
You promised one day we could, it's what you said on the phone  
I'm just a prisoner of love always hid from the light  
Take me dancing, please take me dancing tonight

I imagine his wife, she don't look nothing like a fool  
She picks the kids up from some private school  
She remembers what he told her, he was late and worked alone  
But there's more than a suspicion in this lingering cologne  
And the kid's just won't be quiet and she runs a traffic light  
And she drives into the night...

Please take me dancing tonight I've been all on my own  
You promised one day we could it's what you said on the phone  
I'm just a prisoner of love always hid from the light  
Take me dancing, please take me dancing tonight

So here I am in a stolen car at a traffic light  
They go from red to green and so I just drive into the night...

Please take me dancing tonight I've been all on my own  
You promised one day we could it's what you said on the phone  
I'm just a prisoner of love always hid from the light  
Take me dancing, please take me dancing tonight."


	2. How It All Begun

_**Author's Note:**__I do not own _any _of the Escaflowne characters (although I wish dearly I did Van, meow!) and nor do I claim any credit for the anime's storyline - although, that's not really relevant, as this storyline has not much to do with it. But this is __**my **__version of Escaflowne in a single Oneshot. Don't like it? Don't read it then - I will not tolerate pointless flames. _

_Oh, and yes, this is a songfic inspired by the legendary Sting and his song "Stolen Car":_

"Late at night in summer heat. Expensive car, empty street  
There's a wire in my jacket. This is my trade  
It only takes a moment, don't be afraid  
I can hotwire an ignition like some kind of star  
I'm just a poor **girl** in a rich **woman's** car  
So I whisper to the engine, flick on the lights  
And we drive into the night..."

_-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

She came up the dainty set of steps with the flowery garden helping to keep her hidden. It was so much brighter on this side of the city than where she had come from, although just as cold. Running, her boots patted on the steps as she danced her way up, up, up towards her hearts desire, up to where nothing seemed impossible.

The last step approached.

The girl stopped behind a rose bush to scan the area warily. All was quiet, aside from the distant sound of another explosion that came back from her side of the City. Sirens were wailing. It was not a distracting noise - she was used to it. The girl licked her bottom, cut lip and cautiously slid out from her cover like a cat ready to pounce in its victim. She strolled up the drive, and it wasn't long before she was struggling to stay focussed, as her impressed and dreamy eyes couldn't stop admiring the gorgeous estate on which she was trespassing.

"So this is what sits at the top of the hill..." She whispered to herself, amazed; her voice seemed slightly husky, as though a strain had been inflicted upon it.

Her breathe escaped her lips in a thin, white vapour that rose into the air and eventually faded, just like the ice around her heart did. Just for a small moment. Just as she stood there, scruffy hair, boots, torn, tight trousers and a simple waist-coat; it would only take a second of a glance to understand what side of the city she had come from. But she had adapted to the cold.

The beautiful, glass house before her had stolen her breath away. Even the walls existed of such an aquamarine glass, and she could see straight through into the Maze-like construction where leather sofas and beautiful flowers in marble pots made her heart sink. She suddenly snorted to herself and looked away indifferently.

"Snobby rich kids. As if there aren't enough flowers in the world, they need to go tearing them outta' their roots and shoving them in cages." She sneered.

And just like that, her old self was back - perhaps only because she had forced her hard shell back over her emotions, or just because she knew she had a task at hand. No, not a task, it was her dream, her life.

The girl turned and smiled at the sight of a wide, silver door that stood out of the marble and glass castle like a white rose in a patch of weeds. She rubbed the back of her leather gloved hand against her cold nose, sniffed, and approached the door. When she arrived, she pulled out a single, copper hair-pin from above her ear and stuck it into the lock of the garage door. Rattling, twisting, picking, and then _lift_ - it clicked. The girl smiled.

After throwing the pin away, she carefully pushed the door up by just an inch, an inch enough for her to take out her next weapon, a small pair of pliers from her belt, and slip her arm through the gap in the door to cut its thick cords that held its weight. The girl was given less than a second to retract her arm before the garage door swung upwards all by itself without any forced elevation necessary. She was quick, but it was still a close call.

The girl whistled to herself in shock and then laughed.

She switched the pliers with a tiny torch that she had kept in her right boot. It flicked on. And there, sitting before her, a creature so magnificent that it almost aroused her.

"I never thought I could fall in love again..." She whispered, almost inaudibly.

The girl walked at a patient, tender pace along the side of the silver, two-seated sports car while stroking her bare finger tips along its body. It was freezing to the touch, but so smooth. Not a crack or scrape in sight.

The girl closed her enchanted eyes, "... Flawless."

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**45 Minutes**** Ago**

Eerie fog floated through the damp, shimmering streets of Angel City. Heh, what an ironic name. For a City so bleak and damned, how could it possibly own a name that suggested the heavens were watching over it?

Rotting buildings towered into the navy sky. No stars existed anymore. The mist outstood their beautiful forms - it was more than just rare to see a tender twinkle.

Windows smashed away, balcony railings orange and rotting, apartment ladders hanging down in the random alleys here and there, large dustbins crusted and splitting with their rubbish flooding the sidewalks, graffiti everywhere, and no innocent, warm souls about. It was usually quiet, but not because of it's lack of life - oh no, not that at all. Angel City was full of life, but just the wrong kind, particularly on this side of Angel's wings.

The signal song had been played on the radio at seven and, as usual, announced to all those who wished to stay out of harms way that then was the time to hide away until the next evidence of sunlight. Now, Angel City was under darkness, and the creatures lurking in its shadows were out to play.

The right side of Angel City was ruled by gangs. Whatever names, dress codes and loyalty policies, it didn't matter. Gangs were a way of survival, now, whether people liked it or not. But the wise chose to stay behind closed curtains, bolted doors, and loaded guns, or spent their lives trying to worm or earn their way into the better side of Angel City - The East, they called it, in its own magnificent self.

A wicked explosion erupted from Prince Street and a cloud of golden, thirsty fire swirled into the air and swept up a couple of stray, rotting cars in its path. They jumped and crashed back down onto the cracking earth. The windows of the buildings on either side of the street were blown in and, as the raging fire settled, a shower of dainty glass sprinkled across the damp, glossy concrete road; it was nearly always raining in this City. These buildings had been deserted long ago. No one on the bottom floor dared risk their lives to maintain ownership.

Crazy, wild laughter followed shortly after the explosion, and several hyper bandits skipped and danced out into the open road as to admire and celebrate their pointless vandalism. Yes... these were the typical events that took place now, in Angel City, a place that once stood in grace and earned respect from others.

But not now.

The moon, weeping, the sun, grey. Nothing was the same, anymore. In fact, no one could remember the last time they saw a child playing happily in their own garden. This was the result of a ruler who had a "vision" for the future - others simply called it snobbish arrogance. If you didn't have enough money to be able to blow your nose in a ten pound note, you weren't worth it. You deserved to be in The West. The darkness. The war-pit.

But it wasn't long before the brutal gang were interrupted by some new company. Their cheering faltered. Whistles stopped. Weapons were fetched from their belts and the insides of their tough, leather jackets. All of their eyes were locked upon the seven, dark figures that were marching towards them through the dying flames that had spread on both sides of the broken street.

"Well, well, well," The leader of the gang chuckled, "If it ain't the dusty Merchant's from Between Street. Looks like they've finally come out to loosen up their rusting."

The guy speaking was actually rather normal-looking for a gang leader. Most would expect the stereotype of huge muscles, missing teeth, bald head, covered in tattoos. But not this guy. Aside from the biker clothes, the bandana, the spiky bracelets, the murderous chain hanging from his clenched fist, he seemed like a pretty normal guy. Blonde spiky hair, beautiful blue eyes and pale skin. He was seriously on too many drugs.

"You know, for the leader of the Gladiators, I expected a little less talking... and a little more action." Another, deeper voice sneered back.

It was Logic. A tall, dark-skinned man stepped out of the shadow and came into the light of the sizzling flames on either side of the street. His gang members filed up behind him and held their stances, watching intensely. Their leader fitted his role much better, with muscles, huge earrings, tattoos and a look of superiority in his eyes compared to the head of the Gladiators; he snickered at his comment, looking around as to concentrate on comforting his bruised ego, but then his eyes found the glowing, pale face of a familiar girl.

Brown, messy hair parted to the side, slender frame, stubborn look across her dirty face. She held a crow-bar in one hand by her side, while the other rested on her hip. She had such attitude.

"Lookin' good, Tomi..." He smiled suggestively.

The girl, Tomi, rolled her eyes slowly, "... It's _Hi_tomi to you, Dilandau."

Dilandau smiled all the more, his head tilted to the side and back, "That's not what you used to let me call you... remember kitten?"

Hitomi swallowed down the memories, "I try not to."

"Wanna' try it again sometime?" Dilandau teased.

"You look like shit, Dilandau," Another man, Barkley, sneered, "What the hell've you done to yourself... you used to be a half-decent dirt bag."

"You like the new make-over?" Dilandau laughed and turned on the spot while holding his arms out.

His gang members laughed at his taunting behaviour, while The Merchants just stood and watched stiffly without reacting. Although, Hitomi's friend, Hicks, was clenching his fist so furiously that it was trembling by his side.

"Like I said, Dilandau," Hitomi's leader, Logic, interrupted, "You talk too much. Why not show us the true form of that ego you wave around so proudly?"

Hitomi snickered at this comment, "It's not much."

Dilandau turned angry, "Bitch!"

"Come OOONN!" One of The Merchant's roared.

And then it kicked off. The two gangs whipped out and started waving their weapons determinedly and they collided in the center, where another mundane battle broke out in Angel City. As fists swung, blood spilt and the air filled with the music of hatred, grey, gloomy faces appeared at the windows of the apartments that looked down upon the street from such height. The innocents of Angel City watched from their safe peak, frowning, holding their children close. It was nothing new to them.

Hitomi spun and cast a pretty nice kick to one of The Gladiator's' ugly face, but as he jerked away, he grabbed her ankle and swung her round. She twisted round onto her front with her hands on the ground, and her weapon now in her mouth, and she used his chest to kick her other foot up and smack it right into his face. Both feet slammed into either side of his head, then his nose, then his neck, and he was on the floor quicker than Hitomi could recompose herself. By the time she stood, he was down and trying to keep himself from falling into unconsciousness.

_Crack_

A fist came out of nowhere and caught Hitomi off-guard, catching her square in the lip. She stumbled backwards and looked over to see Dilandau smiling sadistically at her, also bearing a few new open cuts of his own. Hitomi glared while licking the blood from her lip.

"Come on baby - let's play, for old time's sake." He provoked her.

Hitomi let out a soft, angry growl and charged at him, swinging her long, trusty pole back and forth in her hands. Dilandau skipped backwards and dodged each swing until he came to one of the burnt, ruined cars that had been caught up in their pointless explosion earlier that night, and he artfully jumped up backwards without needing to look back and landed safely on its hood. Hitomi swung her pole and he jumped, she did it again, but this time his foot landed on it and caught her in a stick.

He suddenly lashed his chain out and wrapped it around her neck; it pinched her skin and nearly cut off her breathing completely. She gasped, her hands flying up to try and rip it away, but Dilandau pulled her towards him like a dog and leant down to hold his face to hers.

"We could've been perfect, Tomi... you and me... the King and Queen uh' this place." He whispered against her lips whilst observing her face like a dazzled snake.

Hitomi stared up at him through her watery, red eyes, "... Stop..."

Dilandau smiled and suddenly pressed his lips to hers. Ugh, the taste of him brought back so many memories. It was so confusing. Once upon a time, Hitomi had loved this man, it was true... but he changed. For the worst. Hitomi still had a scar from the amount of times he had began burning her - he was obsessed with burning things... obsessed with fire, and demolition.

Hitomi's free hand managed to pull out the pliers that were sticking into her belt at her back, and _wham_, she bashed the handle of it against his cheek and he broke away from her with a strange spasm attack. He released her, and Hitomi was able to pull the chain from around her neck and gasp for air once more.

And then came the sirens. It wasn't often that the Police bothered to come out and break up such a violent fight, but Prince Street was one of the few streets left in The West that hadn't been completely corrupted yet. They still had something to fight for.

"Hitomi!" Logic roared through the battle.

Hitomi swirled around, still rubbing her soar throat, and blinked through the smoke and fog to see Logic wrestling with another Gladiator. He looked over his shoulder and nudged his head up through his struggle.

"Now! Get goin'!" He shouted.

"What about you?" Hitomi called back, although her voice was now breaking from the strain on her windpipes.

Logic head-butted the man in his large arms and he fell back, just for a moment. But the moment was long enough for Logic to put his point across to Hitomi.

"It's now or never! Get up that hill, we'll distract the City!" He roared authoritatively.

Hitomi admitted defeat and gave in with a nod of understanding. In her eyes, Logic could see that she was wishing him luck and safety, and he did the same right back at her. Turning, Hitomi cast Dilandau one last look, who was only just starting to steady himself again, his hand to his bleeding cheekbone.

She turned and fled into the darkness. Now that their plan had worked, the fun part had started.

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**Meanwhile... At the top of The Hill**

The front door slammed and echoed through the very modern, exquisite glass house. The Mother of the household flinched for the fear of her precious windows smashing under the pressure, but they didn't even shudder.

"Van! Van, don't you walk away from me while I'm talking to you! I am your _father_, you will show me some respect!" A stern man barked as he marched down the passage steps and into the open living room.

He unwrapped his scarf from around his neck and threw it onto the arm of the sofa quite carelessly; his eyes were fixated upon the young man in his handsome Tux before him, who was undressing his own Winter accessories in his own patient, sulking manner.

"Well? Don't you have anything to say for yourself, son??" He shouted at Van.

Van rolled his eyes, "What is there to say? We both know what I think."

"You showed me up in front of all of my friends," His father growled, "You **embarrassed **me. I'm damn ashamed."

Van snickered and jumped back angrily, "_Friends_? They're not your friends! They're a bunch of wet fish that dress up in smart clothes and kiss up to each other. And what, that gives them the right to call themselves classy and worthy? ... You're just like them."

"Van!" His mother gasped emotionally, clutching to her pink pashmina.

The brow of Van's father creased darkly, "... What did you just say to me?"

There was a sudden echo of a deep explosion from somewhere on the West of Angel City, and from their position at the top of The Hill, Van and his parents were able to see a dot of fire from down in the slums. There was another crazy battle taking place, as usual. But this only distracted the Fanel family for mere seconds. There was something a lot more serious at hand to be dealt with.

Van was the first to get back on track, "You heard me," He confidently growled, "Dad, you're just as fake as the rest of them, but what's worse is that you're a tyrant, and I have no choice in my life! Sometimes I think Folken had some sense in leaving this place!"

_Smack_

Silence filled the air, and the atmosphere was suddenly very heavy. Van's head was turned to the side, his cheek throbbing painfully, and his father's hand still hovered in the air from where it had collided. Van's mother watched in shock and her eyes began to water.

After a long moment of intense awkwardness, Van's father lowered his hand and wiggled his black bow sophisticatedly, clearing his throat. It was as though it had never happened.

"The Law's have invited us out for lunch tomorrow. You _will _join us, Van, and you _will_, get to know his daughter. And that's final." He stated.

Van didn't even look at his father, "... I won't marry her."

His father stared at him, "... We'll see."

And with that, his father stalked off to his drawing room to have some privacy. Van's mother didn't know whether to comfort her son or cry, or just follow her husband. His strict parenting was for Van's own good, after all. Wasn't it?

"Van..." She began-

But no, Van wasn't hearing any of it. He threw himself away from her as she approached with an extended, gentle hand, and he marched out of the large living room towards the porch area at the side of the house. He rebelliously began feathering and roughing up his neatly-combed hair, and what was once an impressive style was now a black, loose mess. It suited him better.

He ripped his bow from around his neck and, as he passed through the dining hall, he swiped up a crystal bottle of whiskey and a small glass. Just one. He intended on washing away his stresses, and there was only one place he liked to be best when times were tough on him. Escaflowne.

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**Present Time**

Hitomi walked at a patient, tender pace along the side of the silver, two-seated sports car while stroking her bare finger tips along its body. It was freezing to the touch, but so smooth. Not a crack or scrape in sight.

She closed her hazel, enchanted eyes, "... Flawless."

Hitomi was more than surprised not a minute later to find that the beautiful vehicle was, in fact, unlocked. The driver had foolishly forgotten to lock it up, or he was too obnoxious to believe that anyone could accomplish stealing such a thing. Hitomi snickered to herself as she opened the door and slid inside. As she sank into the comfortable, leather seat, she felt herself melt into the moment. She stroked the steering wheel, smiling, and smelt the air. God, that smell...

Hitomi had no idea what it was about cars that made her feel this way, but she knew that she had an obsession. The thrill of stealing it, and then being able to become someone else with each different seat she sat in. One night, she was a Company director, 2 kids and a wife, but there was a more complicated depth to his marriage... And then, another night, she was a single woman on her way to an audition - she was gonna' be a movie star.

Tonight, Hitomi felt like everything and everyone. There was something about this beauty... something different, that moved her deep inside.

Hitomi's fantasising was cut through by distant, muffled voices coming from inside the house, on the other side of the garage's side door. She gasped, eyes snapping open, and she looked out of the window at it in alarm. People were coming.

"Van! Van, where are you?!" A woman called worriedly.

"Time to go, Hitomi." She whispered to herself and slammed the door shut.

Just as she leant down, ripped open the board underneath the wheel and began fiddling with the wires, the door opened and a man stuck his head into the garage with the light pouring in behind him. He couldn't see anyone in the car. Why would Van have gone in there, anyhow?

He was considering the idea of heading back into the main house when - _there _- before his very eyes, the car's engine purred into life. Hitomi's heart shuddered, charmed, and she leant back, pulled on the gear stick, and then thrust her foot down on the pedal.

"Stop! Thief!!" She heard a voice roaring.

She pulled down the mirror and spotted a very distressed man sprinting along the road behind her. She laughed, although she felt she should at least pretend to have sympathy for the poor rich man. Hitomi turned the wheel and sped off down the drive that travelled all the way down the hill until it conjoined with the main road that led along the cliff-sides.

It took a few seconds for the reality of what was happening to hit Hitomi, but when it did, she suddenly burst out into excited laughter and slammed her hand on the steering wheel, cheering and singing as loudly as she could.

But out of nowhere, a disturbed snort came from the back seat, and before Hitomi could pull over safely, a young, dark-haired man shot up into view in her rear mirror and her laughing immediately changed to screaming. The young guy in his expensive suit reacted in just the same way and let out one of his own startled yells.

"What are you doing here?!" Hitomi shouted angrily.

"What are _you _doing here? And in my car?!" Van yelled back.

He let out a sudden hiccup, and as Hitomi steered around the bend on the road, a nearly empty crystal bottle rolled underneath her seat and knocked into her ankle. She spared it a glance. Alcohol. She then looked back at the confused, angry young man and frowned miserably.

"Great. All I need is a drunk, spoilt rich kid screwing up everything." She mumbled.

"Who the hell are you calling spoilt??" He barked.

Hitomi snickered, "At least you didn't deny the drunk part."

Van sat up straight and waved his arm out demandingly, "Stop the car right now, dammit, who the hell do you think you are? You're a _thief_!"

"Well done, sparky, you won yourself a second of respect from me," Hitomi sarcastically sighed; she was now concentrating on the road more than anything, "Just sit down and keep quiet, will ya'? This is as risky enough as it is, I don't need you screeching in my ear."

Van narrowed his eyes angrily, "Stop the car."

"I can't do that." Hitomi snapped.

"I said stop the car, NOW!" Van ordered.

"I told you, I can't do that!" Hitomi cried.

Without warning, Van suddenly leant forwards and grabbed onto Hitomi's arms. She screamed as she car swerved dangerously close to the edge of the cliff and Van quickly pulled the car away again.

"Pull over..." He ordered.

"Alright, alright! Just sit back, will ya'?! Geez, you rich folks are even crazier than I thought..." Hitomi huffed.

Van reluctantly, but finally, let go of her elbows and started leaning back again. It was then that Hitomi took her chance and suddenly struck him hard in the nose with the back of her fist. He barked, jumped back, and clutched his nose passionately.

"You hit me!" He exclaimed, "Jesus, you crazy woman, you hit me! What kind of girl are you?!"

Hitomi bit her bottom lip; why wasn't he passed out yet?? And so, throwing her fist back again, she attempted to strike him a second time but he surprisingly caught her by the wrist and prevented her from succeeding.

"I despise liars." Van growled.

Ok, so maybe this spoilt rich kid wasn't as green and hopeless as he appeared. For just a split second, Hitomi glanced back at Van in the mirror above her, and right there in his dark, gentle eyes... she saw a whole world of trouble. A world that Hitomi seemed to understand and connect with. But just for that second. It only lasted like a sharp flicker of a flame.

But it wasn't that the moment merely passed, but the two of them were stolen from that intense situation by a sudden glowing light. It was coming from Hitomi, from a small, pink gem that was hanging from her left ear nearest to Van. His eyes grew, as did hers as she watched in the mirror.

"What the hell..." Van whispered.

Hitomi's jaw dropped. The metres along the dashboard in front of the steering wheel started flipping out like crazy, wagging from side to side, and the lights were flashing on and off, just as the radio flicked itself on and began to whiz through the numerous stations.

"What's happening?! What's wrong with your car?!" Hitomi frightfully shouted.

"There's nothing wrong with my car, you thief!" Van scolded her, "What have you done to it?!"

"Nothing!" Hitomi sincerely exclaimed.

The car suddenly lost all control. Hitomi wasn't strong enough to pull the steering wheel back over to the left. Even with the extra help from Van, who leant over her to help, they continued to gradually move towards the wooden fence that ran along the edge of the Cliffside. Hitomi and Van glanced down at each other, in such an awkward situation, and just like that the car suddenly broke through the fencing and zoomed over the edge.

Hitomi and Van both expressed their fear through their wild crying, but as Van's beloved Escaflowne soared out into the black night sky, something different happened.

The light on Hitomi's ear grew and grew until, at last, it was burst into full power and blinded the two passengers from seeing anything. The car started pounding and groaning, and they felt themselves shifting all about and being thrown in all directions. It all happened so fast, it was like a rollercoaster ride in the dark - or, well, the divine light. So bright. So warm.

_Boooommmmm_

Everything stopped.

It was silent. All but a strange, mechanical breathing, and the humming of a huge engine beneath Hitomi and Van. When they were brave enough to crack their eyes open, they found themselves in a twist with each other, with their faces inches apart. Hitomi gasped and jumped back right away.

"You perve!" She cried, blushing, and slapped his cheek.

Van bolted upright, "Jesus, will you stop hitting me?!"

As Hitomi started yelling on about how if he had just decided to get drunk in his **house **like a normal person then everything would have been fine... but Van slowly stopped listening, and his attention was stolen away. He was staring through a large, wide front window, where a panel of alight buttons, levers and switches existed, and covered the walls around them.

Van's jaw dropped. He stared straight ahead at the night sky through the front window as he reached out and grabbed onto Hitomi's jaw. She kept rambling on, but once he twisted her head round and she saw what they were in, she cut off instantly.

"Oh my god..." She exhaled, mesmerised.

It seemed a lifetime had passed for them as they both knelt there, gazing, gaping like brainless birds. Van finally found the courage to move.

"Don't!" Hitomi gasped, holding him back.

He sent her an odd look before tearing his arm out of her grip. Hitomi anxiously watched him crawl to the window. When he reached it, he looked down and saw a long, mechanical pair of legs, getting thinner with each inch they stretched down to the ground. His heart leapt into his throat and he spun away with a shudder, his eyes wide, sweat forming.

"What is it??" Hitomi whispered.

"It's a-... it's a..." Van stuttered.

Hitomi raised her eyebrows and shook her head impatiently, encouraging him to answer. Van gulped again.

"I think my car just transformed into a robot."


	3. Not So Vulnerable

**Author's Note:**_It's funny - I had intended for this Fanfic just to be a 1-Chapter thing, which is why I labelled it as 'Oneshot'... but then I considered the fact that I don't actually know what Oneshot means and just assumed it meant that o.0 Now, I don't think that's quite right. But anyhoo, it's helped me to decide that maybe Chapter 2 wouldn't hurt? Not sure if it'll be my next focus story though, as I'm working on other materials for Look for me on there under __**GoddessOfWings**__, if you're interested - I've got more original stories of mine there._

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"How long has it been, now?" Hitomi monotonously asked from the hot silence.

Van lifted his tired eyes from the floor and cast a long, bored glance over at the digital clock that was shining in green on the control panel desk beside him. He blew a spike of black hair from his damp, shining forehead. Hitomi waited with her sweat product increasing.

"Nearly two hours." He announced gloomily.

Hitomi released a groaning sigh and let her head fall back against the iron wall that she was leant up against. Yes, 2 hours had Van and Hitomi been sitting in the giant robot, waiting for something to happen. 2 hours had it taken for them to finally calm down and just sit down to think logically - but all they could think about was the fact that they were in a giant robot! What was logical about that?!

"This is all your fault." Hitomi mumbled.

Van looked up at her, raising his eyebrows, "Excuse me?"

"This was your plan, weren't it. You knew this would happen. It's some sort of fancy burglar trap, ain't it." Hitomi accused him while pointing gently.

"What?? How was I to know _this_ would happen? And besides, let's not forget why we're here right now. I didn't hold a gun to your head and force you to become a rotten thief." Van calmly bit back, trying to keep his cool.

Hitomi smiled bitterly, "No, our wonderful Mayor did that."

Just for a second, Van seemed as though he was about to jump up and yell his head off, but he suddenly caught his cool and clenched a fist, "I'm sorry you aren't as fortunate as I, but it's not his fault, nor mine, that you don't earn enough money to live a life like mine. The East side of Angel City is damn expensive - a house there is hard to obtain."

"It's got nothing to do with that..." Hitomi chuckled under her breath and shook her head.

She knew there was no point in getting into such a conversation with this kid. It would go on for eternity and they'd probably never agree. And yet, after a short silence, Van still couldn't let it go.

"But that still gives you no right to try and steal my car." He added arrogantly.

Hitomi rolled her eyes, "Should I get the violins now?"

"Why mine? Why'd you have to go and cause _my_ beauty to take on this transformation? There's a billion cars in Angel City, you know." Van snapped confidently.

Hitomi nearly laughed, "You're not seriously blaming this on me, are you?? It's **your** car."

"But it was _your_ earring that suddenly started blazing light just before it happened. That's too bizarre to be a coincidence, wouldn't you say?" Van narrowed his eyes at her from across the dark, hot compartment.

"Ok, you keep telling yourself that, rich boy..." Hitomi rolled her eyes.

Van sat up against his knees and pointed at her, "My Escaflowne has never done anything odd or off-key in her life, except for when you suddenly waltz into my life."

Hitomi raised her eyebrows at Van at this point. It was silent, until she lifted her eyebrows in a rather entertained manner; Van blinked.

"Escaflowne?..." She repeated, "What kind of a name is that. Especially for such an amazing vehicle."

Van cleared his throat, "My grandfather named it with me. He was the one who built it for me."

Hitomi's eyes grew, "Y-you mean to say... she was made? By hand??"

Van smiled proudly and patted the wall beside him, "The finest hands in the City... I was eight. Eight_een_ when he passed away. It's all I have left of him, really... Escaflowne."

Oh man... Hitomi disliked snobby rich folks, but she still had a heart, and now she felt like kicking herself. She had tried to take away the one thing left of this kid's idol - something Hitomi never been granted. She never had the chance.

Hitomi suddenly realised just how interested and, well, the opposite to angry she seemed, and so she tore her eyes away from Van at once and relaxed against the compartment wall in a light sulk. She didn't want this guy to think she was nice in any way - this was all his fault after all, right? But deep down, Hitomi was just hurt and, shamefully, jealous that this rich kid got the chance to spend time with his loving grandfather, while she never had anyone. Ever.

Subconsciously, while strolling along her trail of thoughts, her fingers began to soothingly rub along the red, sore bruising around her throat where Dilandau had left his signature. Van curiously watched her and soon recognised the marks. And then, his focus widened, and he began to observe the poor thief girl before him with much detail. Her dark, wild hair, her pale, cut skin, her ratty clothes, her body language and posture. There was just something about her that made Van think... _believe_... she wasn't all fire and steel.

"Where did you get that?" Van asked and nudged his head up.

Hitomi glanced at him from a distance. She clearly didn't understand what he was referring to, and so Van helped her out by tapping his own neck.

"That bruising." He nodded.

Hitomi smiled. She could tell that Van wasn't used to violence, or poor "defenceless girls" having to _be_ violent. She found it so amusing when men tried to be all macho and heroic.

"A girl's got to beat or be beaten in the West. Even if it means earning yourself a few of these pretty little marks." She explained with delight - sarcasm, but a cruel delight.

Van's eyes twitched in disapproval. He obviously didn't like the sound of that, but this only intrigued Hitomi all the more.

"Oh, I'm sorry rich kid... S'that upsettin' you?" She whispered, and pulled up the sleeve of her jackets to reveal a few burn marks and fine scars, "It's kind of hard to believe a dainty little female could endure damage, and inflict it straight back, right? But hey... in the West, we don't got a choice. So save your shimmering, concerned eyes and your sympathetic silence. I don't need nobody to tell me it'll all be alright... It's always alright. So long as I got me."

Hitomi's face turned bitter and angry, and she suddenly tugged her sleeves back down to cover herself up. Van, who had been busy watching her scars with much disliking, snapped out of his daze and looked all around both guiltily and uncomfortably. He didn't want to show this girl that he cared about anything to do with her. She may have had breasts, but she was still just another thief who would gladly slit his throat if it meant saving hers.

"We learn to deal with it. I'd love to see you live a day in my shoes, rich kid... god, that'd be interesting." Hitomi snickered, more to herself.

"You know what's ironic?" Van chuckled, catching Hitomi's new attention, "I'm supposed to be the judgemental, prejudice one, and yet you've sat here this entire time calling me 'rich kid', never for one moment even considering to ask me of my real name. You claim you're so bullied because of your social status, but do you know me in any way? Do you know me at all, to judge me so hypocritically?"

Hitomi watched him thoughtfully. Van was staring back at her with so much passion over what he was saying that, god forbid... it nearly touched her.

**However, meanwhile, outside in the cold, misty country lanes of Angel City that separated the East from the West, a number of black vehicles pulled up at the edge of the cliff road. They were small and fast, and had iron spikes running along their roofs as to imitate the back of a lizard of some type. They parked up, lights still flashing, engines still running, and a man wearing a black and red uniform. He snatched his hat from his balding heat and held his night-vision binoculars to his searching eyes. **

There, standing as a black silhouette against the navy, starlit sky, was a huge human-like figure. But, of course, this was no human. It towered up above the trees making them seem like insignificant flowers.

The man pulled away his binoculars and breathed out determinedly; his nostrils flared. This was serious business. Holding his wrist up to his mouth, he pressed on the switch of his watch and spoke into it:

"Target located, Lord Folken. What will you have us do?" He asked, his tone of voice much like a robot (ironically).

After a moment of intense silence, a dark, handsome, patient voice finally replied, "... What have I told you, Chief Wyatt, of using my given name in public?"

The Chief flinched at his own foolishness, "F-forgive me, Mayor Denethor." 

"Just because I'm wearing a tux and live in a big house and talk properly, it doesn't make me a bad person. It doesn't make my soul as predictable as all the others..." Van wisely spoke.

**Multiple pairs of booted feet raced across the forest floor, one person after the other, heavy panting, twigs breaking, leaves rustling. They were filing onwards towards their target...**

Hitomi's eyebrows were arched up in slight sadness, now. Why? She had no idea. In fact, she had no idea at all that her expression was even changing. As far as she was concerned, she was just lost in these surprising words that were drifting out of the rich kid's mouth.

"I'm sorry you have no money," Van continued genuinely, "I'm sorry you have to be physically hurt every day just to get by... but you're no better than the rest of the pompous aristocrats that you dislike so much if you can sit here, now, and judge me so easily. You're all so quick to judge... so quick to spot the differences between our worlds..."

**A man wearing a dark, black uniform with a helmet and a bullet-proof vest waved his right arm vigorously out before him to guide his troops to their positions. They followed his directions and all lined up along the floor in crouches behind the trees - guns at the ready.**

"You think you're so different," Van snickered, "But you're all more similar than you want to believe."

Jesus, Hitomi couldn't stop herself. Her angry, stiff expression had slowly melted into a soft, dreamy one. She was staring at this kid as though she actually respected him. She was, of course, taken back by his personality; she hadn't expected him to be so modest and... _good_.

"So stop... stop calling me that." Van concluded.

He appeared suddenly embarrassed or uncomfortable after having said all of that. He shifted awkwardly and cleared his throat, while his dark eyes skipped about the room in search for some kind of rescue that would change the subject and save him.

"My name... is Hitomi," Hitomi surprisingly spoke; Van froze, and his eyes locked onto her, "My friends call me Tomi, though' most people in the West know me as Boots."

Van sent her a questioning look. She shrugged innocently.

"Too many people've felt the wrath of these babies," She comically announced and patted her dry-mudded boots, "You know, they come in pretty handy every now and then when someone ticks you off and has you in an awkward lock."

It was weird. Van nearly showed some sort of an amused smile of his own as he listened to this.

"Well, _Boots_, my name... is Van." He muttered calmly.

The two of them fell into another silence, but this one was a lot... nicer? Dear god, was this actually happening? Was Hitomi actually being _nice_ and enjoying the company of some spoilt rich kid? Indeed. And, just the same, Van found the rough, tough bruised lady in front of him to be... quite the enigma. Truly, something else.

All of a sudden, the two species of the big wide world were disrupted by Hitomi's peculiar left earring: it began to glow again. Van's eyes ignited with alarm, which accordingly notified Hitomi that something was wrong.

"What?" She snipped.

Van had only just pointed towards her earring, when _boom_! The compartment in which Van and Hitomi were sitting suddenly threw itself to the left. Van wasn't given a chance to reach out onto something; he was thrown from his backside, into the air, and straight against the wall beside Hitomi, where he felt his back crack under the pressure.

The compartment jerked back to the other side, and the two of them flew together and landed on top of each other against the wall - Hitomi atop of Van, clinging to his shoulders. Her earring was burning so brightly now that it almost prevented their sensitive eyes from being able to see, but as Hitomi lifted her head and looked down upon Van, they managed to find each other's just for that short time in eternity.

_**Boooom**_

The compartment began to tremble, shudder and rock aggressively, and the sounds of clanking metal, screeching iron and deep thuds almost deafened the gentleman and the rogue who was strangely clinging to him, as though he could save her from all of this. For a tough, independent thief who claimed to know how to look after herself, she seemed pretty vulnerable at that moment - so Van remembered thinking once it was all over...

It was quiet. The engine was releasing a huge amount of steam, so there was a heavy, long hissing sound coming from the other side of the wind shield. Hitomi was still panting wildly, and Van could still hear his own heartbeat in his ears and feel it pushing through his chest. When the two of them finally found the courage to open their eyes, they looked around and noticed... they were back in Escaflowne, the _car_, in the middle of a field with forestry all around them.

"What the-..." Van muttered, but cut himself off through his perplexity.

Hitomi touched her now lightless, left earring once more as she pondered nervously over its behaviour. It wasn't exactly sane for an earring to burst into bright pink light and cause a car to transform from car to robot! Wait, had Hitomi actually just admitted that she believed her earring was doing all of it??

Hitomi snapped her now irritated eyes onto Van who was beside her. Gasp! Hitomi suddenly realised that she was in his arms, and their faces were just inches apart!

_Slap!_

"Argh!" Van yelled, clutching his sore cheek, and jumping over into the passenger seat beside her, "Why do you insist on hitting me so often!"

Van waited for her response, but all she did was mutter pointless words. Her facial expression was growing more and more guilty and desperate by the second.

"You're hair was in my face?!" She finally barked, rather stupidly.

She sounded very uncertain with her reason. Van just stared at her as she nibbled on her lip and her eyebrows wobbled up and down nervously. And yet, he was just about to respond when, out of the darkness, something caught his attention. Behind Hitomi, out of her window, Van could see a few sparkling City lights from The East, from a few of the tallest buildings to have been made. And a shadow had run past them, blocking them for a quick second. Something had moved. Someone.

Hitomi soon noticed the curious expression on Van's face, and so she followed his trail of eyesight and joined him in gazing out of her window. She couldn't see anything but the dark sky and the trees.

"What're you staring at? Stop that." Hitomi sighed nervously.

Van blinked a few times and shook his head, "... I was more than sure that I saw... I was certain it was-... never mind... I'm sure it was just"-

A virulent something darted into the tree to the front-left of the car and caused a load of bark to explode from the trunk so powerfully that Hitomi and Van instantly knew it was a bullet that had sprung into the scene. Hitomi gasped, Van flinched in his seat, and before either of them new it, Hitomi had automatically stomped down on the accelerator, fiddled with the gear stick, and they were whizzing off through the trees with bullets dancing around them trying to actually hit Escaflowne.

"Who are they?!" Van yelled, slouched in his seat to hide.

Once Hitomi had skilfully managed to control Escaflowne and prevent her from smashing into a passing tree, she was able to loosen up slightly and spare some concentration on replying to Van's question.

"Police," She gulped, "They say they work for "_the good of the city_," but they're about as good as any gang in the West. They use their name to get away with a hell of a lot... trust me, I've seen it... They even have their own clan - they're called The Dragon Clan. They just use their positions as the authority to do whatever they wish and treat anyone how they like, and take anything they wish. Why'd you think they can _all_ afford such houses in the East? Surely not simply because the Mayor is grateful for their cheap work..."

"You're mistaken," Van snorted, "The police are police, nothing less and nothing more. They work for the future of Angel City."

"Yeah, and who d'you think they're taking orders from?" Hitomi snapped, and suddenly swerved out of the way of a fallen tree log, "That damn Mayor Denethor! The one who caused this divide in the City in the first place! The one who drives us all to fight like we do! He's no Mayor - he's a god damn _tyrant_!!"

Something in the path of Escaflowne unexpectedly caused her to jump up at the back wheel, and Hitomi let out a sharp scream with Van as they went swerving and speeding down the hillside to the right. They were going so fast, but to their disappointment, they hadn't lost the Dragon Clan. They were still chasing them in their own black cars with yellow lights flashing on the roofs - as if it gave them some sort of upper hand in anything? Oh, the egos of men in uniform.

Hitomi spared their cars a glimpse in the over-head mirror, "Hold on to your seat!"

"What?" Van barked, "Why would I need to"-

Van broke his sentence off with a wild, startled yell as Hitomi, having just landed back onto the main road, took a rather violent swerve to the left and he was squished back against the window. Escaflowne skidded on the concrete road and performed a dangerous number of spins; they came very close to the cliff's edge again - Van had to bite his tongue to stop himself from throwing up.

When Escaflowne came to a strict, sharp halt on the road, she was facing the direction in which Hitomi had taken her. But now, up ahead, 4 Dragon Clan cars were lined up like a barrier - 2 in front and 2 behind.

Hitomi gripped the steering wheel and revved the engine.

"Uh... Hitomi?" Van nervously chuckled, "What are you doing?"

The engine growled passionately under the pressure of Hitomi's foot. Her eyes glistened with anger and determination; the dark, twisted smile on her face told Van that the tough, no-nonsense side of this 'Boots' girl was back in business. Unfortunately.

"Come and get it." She bit under her breath.

Van pulled his knees up like a terrified child and waved his arms about, yelling in objection, but Hitomi crushed her foot down onto the acceleration pedal regardless of his orders - and they were off. Speeding towards the Dragon Clan vehicles, who were now charging at them equally. Closer. Closer. Their speeds increased. Van's yelling grew louder. Hitomi gritted her teeth harder than ever...

"Hang onto something!!" Hitomi bellowed.

Her next move left Van as still as a statue afterwards, when it was all over. She slammed her foot onto the breaks so sharply and turned the wheel to the left immediately so that, working together, the force threw Escaflowne up into the air where she performed a number of wild side-spins straight over the 2 rows of speeding Dragon cars. Van screamed like a girl. Hitomi howled in excitement. Everything was a blur.

Escaflowne crashed back down onto the concrete road. It did skid a little to the sides, but Hitomi grabbed the wheel and whipped her into shape. The stunt left the Dragon Clan cars in a mess; in their sudden wave of anger and shock at seeing Escaflowne soaring over them, they stupidly attempted to spin and chase after her... but a large collision prevented them from doing anything but that.

Hitomi's hands shifted anxiously all over the steering wheel and she kept glancing up into the rear mirror with an expression of amazement on her face. Van, however, was glued to his seat and staring into the nothingness ahead, speechless, dumbstruck, and turning a concerning green colour.

"Whooo!" Hitomi laughed as she sped through the night, "Whooooo, yeah! Jesus, did you **see** that?!"

She looked to Van and, although seeing he wasn't moving or talking, she ignored him and jumped excitedly in her seat while slapping the wheel. She was so pleased with herself.

"I did it! It actually worked!!" Hitomi gasped.

Her words sparked life from Van. He slowly, nervously turned his head to face her and raised his eyebrows angrily.

"You've... never done that before?" He shuddered.

Hitomi laughed madly, "Hell no! Are you crazy?!"

Van's brow creased furiously, "... Are you sure _you're_ the one to be asking that?"

Hitomi ignored him and carried on whooping and yelling energetically in her seat. They had the long, stretching road ahead of them to travel without being disturbed again - hopefully. And it led all the way down into the depths of the West; Van had no idea what was waiting ahead for him.


	4. Home Sweet Home

It was drifting on to nearly 2 in the morning, now. But that didn't mean people were in bed as they should obediently be. Instead, life had just begun on the West side of Angel City. Gangs patrolled the streets, fighting, playing, terrorising, or just cruising out of boredom. It was a nasty hour for those who wished to avoid conflict and trouble.

"Stay down; someone might see you." Hitomi ordered to Van while keeping her narrowed, wary eyes on the road in front.

Van sent her a sarcastic look, "Aren't you more concerned about my _car_ being spotted?"

"Just do it," Hitomi sighed impatiently, "It's understandable for someone like me to be drivin' a beauty like this - it's obvious I stole it. But if they see you, there could be trouble. This is slum territory, now."

Van rolled his eyes and just did as she said so, by sinking down in his seat and hiding beneath the dashboard. Hitomi switched the radio on and turned the volume up; she drummed her fingertips upon the steering wheel as she drove calmly up the messy, black street, towards her destination.

"I don't get it." Van stated.

Hitomi smile to herself, "A statement used most often by the male species."

Van pretended he hadn't heard her cocky comment, "You people hold a grudge against my people for being so rich, but when we come into the part of the City that you all hate so much, you punish us? That doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't have to, to _your _kind of people. We may all be dirt-bags, but we still got a policy to stand by. We don't fraternize with rich kids." Hitomi sighed indifferently.

"Um, correct me if I'm wrong," Van held his finger up like a school child, "But isn't that what you're doing right now?"

His question angered Hitomi. Her eyes darted down at his shadowed face and she quickly leant over and opened the dashboard door, which fell down and smacked him on the top of the head. He winced, and as he leant down further to rub his head back to health, Hitomi pulled out a pen and sat it in her lap.

"No," She replied to his question, "You're a hostage."

"**Hostage**??" Van repeated, alarmed.

Hitomi smiled to herself again, in more amusement, and turned the car around the next and last corner. Up ahead, thick mist rolled along the side-walks and the end of the street, to where the shore finished and turned into the salty sea water. Lined up along the docks, Hitomi spotted 3 familiar figures waiting around with weapons in their hands - just in case.

Hitomi grinned and honked the horn three times, paused, and then twice again. This was some kind of code which allowed her waiting friends to relax and begin celebrating by dancing about and clapping each other's hands, shoulders and heads like the hooligans they really were. Hitomi rolled down her window and pulled up in front of them all with a smug, fake smile across her face, and one arm hanging over the side of the car door.

"Hey there pretty ladies - need a ride?" She teased.

"Haha!" One of her gang members laughed, "Boots, you're a damn Goddess!!"

It was Shark; he earned his name through his eccentric hairstyle of a completely bald head, apart from the bleached-white spike that stood up at least 5 inches from the middle. It was quite strange to those who weren't used to the lifestyles of the West, but it suits him regardless.

"I know." Hitomi playfully agreed, as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, rolling her eyes.

She broke out into laughter with her friends and hurriedly exited the car - not bothering to unlock and open the door, she just jumped up on the seat and slid out of the window, where Shark caught her with her legs either side of him in a straddling position. He spun her round in excitement and she threw her head back to scream in success.

"Check her _out, _man!" Another member gasped at the car; his name was Spektor, "This baby must've cost all of the East put together!"

Hitomi jumped down from Shark's waist and landed solidly upon her feet. She turned with her friends, hands on hips, to admire the beautiful car which she had managed to steal all by herself.

"You know," Spektor snaked his arm around Hitomi's neck, "I admit, I was a little sceptical about this bein' your first real mission n' all, but I have to say, you cease to shock me Boots."

Hitomi nudged him playfully, "What can I say, I'm a woman of many surprises."

Spektor laughed and whistled with the other guys. Spektor was tall, well-built and had long, midnight-blue hair platted into a ponytail, and his back, neck and cheeks were covered with abnormal tattooes from unfamiliar beliefs of his. Then, lastly, there was Chomp - he was bald, chubby, and looked a little slow, but he could tell everything about a car just by the skid-marks its wheels left behind.

As Hitomi looked around at all of her friends, she noticed that one particular person was missing. One person who she had expected, above all of them, to be at the dock to meet her after her mission: Logic. Her leader.

"Where is he?" Hitomi asked apprehensively; she didn't need to name him, the others knew exactly who she was referring to.

The mood changed, all of a sudden. The men looked round at each other uncertainly and rubbed the backs of their necks, or made soft hissing sounds. They didn't know what to say, and Hitomi didn't like it one bit.

"Well??" She snapped, holding her hands out impatiently.

"He, uh..." Shark begun calmly, "Boots, he got hurt in the fight earlier."

Hitomi stiffened, "... How bad?"

Shark avoided her icy eyes, "He's lost a lot uh' blood."

Hitomi stared at Shark with a tense, emotionless expression across her face. It was silent in between the group and they just stood, waiting for Hitomi to rage, listening to the whispering of the waves and the sounds of violence coming from all over the West. But Hitomi didn't explode. She didn't lose her cool... and that only made it even worse. She was in a deadly mood.

"Um... excuse me?" Van called out from the car, "Can I sit up now? This is really starting to kill my back..."

Shark, Chomp and Spektor all looked past the silent Hitomi and looked in through the driver's window. They could just about make out a hand waving gently, coming from underneath the dashboard.

"Hello??" Van called again.

"And that is?" Spektor asked warily.

Hitomi turned around and marched back over to the car door, "Just some insurance I picked up along the way. Get in."

"Yeah, um... my back?" Van reminded her, but she ignored him.

The 3 bandits exchanged tired, knowing looks with each other and shook their heads before following Hitomi's orders and walking towards the car. Once Hitomi sat herself in the driver's seat, Van made an attempt to slip back up into his seat, but Shark suddenly opened the door and sat down before he could. Van was squished back against the wall with Shark's legs either side of him; great.

"I'm Shark." Shark smiled down at Van in a mocking manner.

Van smiled dryly, quite uncomfortably, "Ah, pleasure to meet you Shark. Um... do you think it's possible for me to get into my own seat?"

Shark kept smiling cheesily, "No."

Van just nodded knowingly, "Didn't think so."

Hitomi pushed her foot down on the pedal and the engine roared hungrily. Her friends all stroked the seats and whispered pleasured '_oooh_'s and '_woah_'s at the sound and feel of the smooth motor. It was as though the car was made of a billion diamonds and rubies. Hitomi yanked the gear stick and pushed the other pedal, and Escaflowne suddenly skidded round in one, swift circle before Hitomi blasted off down the street from where she came; full blast.

Van wanted to object, but he bit his tongue once he caught the challenging glint in Shark's eyes. Sighing, he looked up and over at Hitomi angrily... but his venom melted at seeing her eyes. They were mourning. Sorrowful. Scared.

It was the first time he had seen this tough chick show some genuine sign of emotion, other than anger and aggression. Something had happened.

**---0---**

Due to the speed at which Hitomi was driving in her whirlwind of emotions, it only took another ten swift minutes to reach their home. As the car speeded down the black, desolate, fire-bitten streets, gang members who were aimlessly roaming stopped to watch the magnificent creature speed by, while some chased it pathetically as if they would actually catch up to it and manage to steal it, and others cheered and whistled excitedly. Hitomi was the only one who wasn't taking any notice of this, and she was the driver!

"Boots," Spektor chuckled nervously from the back, "Why don't you take it down a couple uh' miles, huh?"

Hitomi ignored him. Her eyes were like stones, grey and solid, and icy cold with fury and concern. She wasn't slowing anything down. Instead, she clenched her fingers even tighter around the leather steering wheel and just bit down on her lip impatiently.

"There's no use in that," Van snickered, "she's the craziest driver I've ever met and I doubt asking her to slow down will change anything. Trust me, I tried."

Shark snorted, "What makes you think she'd listen to you and not us? Spoilt rich kid."

Van smiled angrily to himself, "Why do none of these people bother to ask for my real name?"

Hitomi jerked the steering wheel to the left and everyone was forced in that direction either over each other or up against the glass windows (or in Van's case, he became squished even more underneath Shark's stirring legs). Escaflowne spun in a circle again and Hitomi actually showed a sign of humanity when she heard Chomp give a light gasp of suspense; she blinked, unimpressed by his guts.

Escaflowne came to a sudden halt at the entrance of an old garage station. The men and Van were finally given a chance to relax and looked around at each other in relief that no one was injured. From the other side of the station door, the base of loud music could be heard blaring from the speakers.

"In a rush, Boots?" Shark sarcastically asked.

Hitomi kept her eyes upon the rusty, graffiti-covered garage door, "... Not really."

Van rolled his eyes. Hitomi slammed her hand upon the steering wheel and beeped three, long times. After a few seconds of waiting, the garage door began to rumble as it slid upwards to reveal a dimly-glowing workshop house. Hitomi pulled on the gear stick and Escaflowne purred its way underneath the door once it had lifted far enough. When inside, the garage filled with proud cheers and shouts from 3 other members of the gang who were positioned about the workplace in their greasy uniforms with tools in their hands. The song they were playing was now completely recognisable as it blasted round the garage: 'I Just Wanna Make Love To You'

One of them stood upon the balcony over the car and pulled up his torch-mask to get a better look at the beauty. His name was Reese; he was the brains of the gang, with short yellow hair and one glass eye. He whistled to himself in awe; it sure was worth all the drama earlier.

_"And I can tell by the way you walk that walk_

_And I can hear by the way you talk that talk_

_And I can know by the way you treat your girl..." _Sang the talented Etta James from the enormous speakers.

It was one of Hitomi's favourite songs, but she wasn't in the mood for enjoying music at such a time. She drove Escaflowne over the safety ramp and led her towards the other end of the warm, messy, oily garage.

"Oh _baby_!" One of the other men cawed as he watched her pass; he smiled at his own handsome reflection in the windows, "Where have you been all my life??"

This one was Mirage, simply because he could work a spell over any woman and charm them right away. It came in handy for the gang when they were up to another mission - not to mention for his own pleasures, if you get my drift. Hitomi stopped Escaflowne at the foot of another wide, metal door and turned the engine off. She immediately swung the door open and climbed out, slamming it behind her, to storm round the back of the car and head off to where her leader was laying injured.

"Hey, nice goin', Bootsie baby." Mirage howled and slapped Hitomi hard on the backside.

As Chomp, Spektor and Shark got themselves out of Escaflowne, they stopped in mid-action in shock as they watched Hitomi suddenly spin round and grab Mirage viciously by the testicles. Mirage winced and stiffened as if for his very life and sucked his cheeks in like a suffocating fish. Hitomi walked him back into the bonnet of Escaflowne.

"Next time you try to touch me like another one of your bitch-toys, you lose a ball, got that?" She growled.

"Ey, ey, ey! Easy, Tomi!" The last male of the gang exclaimed and ran up behind her.

He hovered his hands over her shoulders for a minute until he finally found the courage to place them down. Hitomi didn't hit him, but instead just looked at him out of the corner of her eye. It was Barkley, the most down-to-earth of them all, and who Hitomi was closest to. He was like a brother to her. Messy brown hair, but with a short, thin braid at the back in red, and he was slightly tanned with dotted tattooes along his cheekbones.

"He was just messin'... You obviously heard about Logic. Come'n. I'll take you to him, k?" He reasoned with her.

Mirage nodded pleadingly while gnawing on his lip in distress; his face was red by now. But finally, Hitomi released his bruised ego and allowed him to sink down onto the ground to nurse his poor junior back to health.

"I... guess I'll take our new guest to the docks?" Shark stated with a tone of awkwardness; when he said 'guest', he was referring to Escaflowne.

At this point, Van cautiously got out of the car behind him and looked around inquisitively at the large home. It looked like a place where they, basically, repaired cars, but with the additions of dirty sofas, a radio with gigantic speakers, a television and food litter all over the place.

Hitomi kicked an empty beer can, "Clean up after yourselves, dammit! Just cuz' I'm a girl it don't expect me to tidy up all your shit!"

Van rubbed the back of his neck, "Is she always that aggressive when she's worried?"

His question wasn't intended for anyone in particular, but Chomp, who had been standing beside him, replied with a nervous nod and a 'mhm'. Van blinked down at him.

"Rich-kid, get over here!" Hitomi called from the other side of the room, "I don't want you out of my sight!"

Mirage and Reese only just realised that Van was there and gave him odd, scrutinising looks that made him feel rather uncomfortable. The others just sniggered at Hitomi's belittling way of addressing him; Van growled and followed her orders.

He ducked underneath the iron staircase that led up onto the balcony, which ran all the way around the room. He shuffled past a large object that was hidden beneath a blue sheet (but by its obvious shape it was clear to Van that it was another car), past the chest of drawers filled with tools and screws, around the corner, and down the narrow hall which had posters and picture frames of famous actors, actresses and blue/swing singers as old as 60 years. These guys were tough, and vintage. How ironic.

At the end of the passage he saw a doorway filled with strings of beads, nails, can and bottle lids and all kinds of other decorations collected from such a working environment with machines and tools. The strings were waving and swinging still from the last person who had brushed through them; Hitomi and her other pretty-boy friend. Van proceeded and carefully moved into the blue-glowing room. He stopped to look around and there, over by the dark window, Hitomi was sitting on the edge of a single bed that had been built from random planks of metal and bronze. It looked comfortable, however.

Hitomi blinked emotionlessly down at the muscly, dark-skinned man who lay beside her. He was sweating across his brow, upper lip and down his temples, and his eyelids were jogging as he struggled with his state of health and the pain from his injuries. Through his clenched teeth, breathless grunts and winces floated up to Hitomi and weighed her heart down.

She slipped her hand onto his sweaty, flaming one, "... Logic."

Logic's eyes opened dizzily and it took him a few seconds to focus. Once he recognise Hitomi sitting there he raised his eyebrows hopefully and went to speak, but Hitomi did it for him.

"Yeah, I got her. She's amazing..." She giggled dryly.

Logic produced something mildly similar to a smile. It was crooked and clearly painful for him to do. Hitomi made a shushing sound and placed her finger to his dry, trembling lips, and then stroked his cheek with her knuckles.

"You're gonna' be ok, Logic... I know you... some silly mummy's boy with a wrench ain't gonna' stop you." Hitomi whispered.

Logic closed his eyes and released an ambiguous little sigh. He was sleeping, once again. Van came up behind Hitomi and Barkley, who had his hand on her shoulder comfortingly. He saw the man on the bed and frowned to himself; thug or rich lord, he was a dying man, and Van had a conscience.

"What happened to him?" Van asked aloud.

Hitomi lowered her ashamed eyes, "... He took a beating so I could make it to the East side, didn't he."

Barkley held back for a second, "Don't, Tomi. Don't start thinking like tha"-

"_Didn't _he." She snapped adamantly.

Barkley sighed and refused to answer her. It would only make things worse. Van stood where was and just watched the scene unfolding with anticipation; it was obvious that Hitomi didn't know how to handle these kinds of emotions and that she just turned them into bitterness and rage.

Barkley sighed guiltily and wrapped his arm around Hitomi's shoulders and accordingly went to pull her towards him for a comforting, secure hug, but Hitomi spun away from him and bobbled across the room in a buzzing cloud of her manic thoughts. Her breathing became louder and faster and her hands drifted up to the sides of her head stressfully; she was overloading.

"Is she alright?" Van asked in concern.

"Don't get involved, rich-kid," Barkley rudely demanded, before turning his attention back to Hitomi, "Boots, take a breath n' chill. You can't do anythin' about it so why let yourself get stressed!"

"I'm sick uh' this life, Barkley," Hitomi panted, "We put up with it coz' we have to... but Logic... he's our teacher, our dad, our protector. Now look at him!"

At that very moment, the single earring in her left ear started to glow a divine pink, just like it had before. Barkley froze in shock and Van jumped forwards attentively - he knew this from before. Hitomi tried to look at the earring without removing it and merely flapped her hands nervously with worry.

"Uuuuuhhh!" She whined like a little kid, "Why're you dong this Van??"

Van's eyes widened as he watched the earring in amazement, "I-it's not me... it's _you_."

"What the hell are you talkin' about rich-kid?" Barkley shouted at him, and then quickly turned to Hitomi, "What the _hell _is he talkin' about?"

"How do I stop it?!" Hitomi cried fearfully.

Van eased towards her and put his hands up innocently, as if to show the earring that he wasn't harmful. He didn't get so close before Barkley grabbed him by the scruff and yanked him to his faced angrily; unexpectedly, Van grabbed his collar with the same strength and just as much irritation.

"Back off, you don't know what you're doing!" Van warned him.

Barkley was a little taken back by his outburst, "What's happenin' to her??"

"I suggest you release me before it gets out of hand!" Van shouted.

Barkley was beginning to give in, but Van confirmed it by pushing him away from him. He turned to face Hitomi again and approached her with as much patience as he had before.

"You've got to control your emotions. That's what's been activating it." Van told her.

Hitomi blinked, "What? How do I do that??"

Van held his hands out towards her, "Just take a deep breath, I dunno'. Clear your mind, any way. I'm not a yoga master, I just know what's doing this."

Hitomi closed her eyes and inhaled a long, soothing breath through her nose and then exhaled from her lips. The creases in her brow flattened out and the stiffness of her now closed eyes softened also. With deep relief, Van watched the earring's glow fade away... and vanish. It was over.

Hitomi heard Barkley mutter a stunned 'woah' and cracked an eye open, "Did it work?"

She opened both her eyes once she saw Van smiling weakly and nodding. She sighed, rolling her eyes, and her hands went straight to her head stressfully.

"Jesus!" She gasped.

It all seemed calm at last when Mirage's wild, panicked voice suddenly came dancing through the garage and up the hallway. He burst through the beaded doorway and stopped to catch his breath.

"You guys... had better... come see... You're not gonna... _believe _this." He panted.

Hitomi and Van both looked to each other right away. They held the same suspicions in their sparkling eyes, and were dreading the exact same thing. Hitomi broke out into a run and Van followed right behind her. Down the hall, back across the garage, through the side-door that led out into the junkyard out back and over towards the docks where a number of other stolen cars were hidden.

But as they ran around the large wall of stacked rubber tires, the tall, monstrous mechanical figure that Hitomi and Van had pictured in their minds slowly rose up into view and seemed to continue lifting into the dark, starlit sky. Hitomi came to a skidding halt on the stony floor and Van dumped into her back. They stood glued together in awe, lips agape, cold breath escaping in white vapour. Barkley ran up beside them both and let out a wild curse and nearly fell backwards onto the ground.

"See?" Mirage gasped, "I told ya'..."

Spektor, Shark, Chomp and Reese were also there. They stood in a line with each other and their heads were all tilted in the same direction as they gaped up at the giant robot in fascination and utter wonder. Hitomi dared to tear her eyes away from the beast and looked back at Van, where their noses were inches apart. Barkley glanced at them warily.

"I think your friends deserve an explanation, before they drop dead," Van announced to Hitomi and signalled to her friends with a nudge of his head, "Well, that is... what explanation we _do_ have to."

Hitomi licked her lips and looked out at them all hesitantly. She felt like she was faced with a row of judges who held the fate of her life in their hands, and all she had to do was live was tell the truth. But... would they really believe her?


	5. Decisions, Decisions

It was gentle. The breeze, soft, but with a salty chill residing in its drift from the river behind the junkyard. Moon was out. She was glowing fairly and sending smears through the clouds as they went by. But as pretty as the scenery, the West Side of Angel City was still grim with violence and disrespect, and of people sharing the misery of never being anywhere but in the slums.

"When I found out the hard way that Chomp really weren't gay, I was ... disturbed... but this is sump'n else..." Shark muttered, gazing into space, twitching and fidgeting his fingers.

It took a moment for the bald, chubby Chomp to realise what Shark had just said; he sent him an angry glare, which Shark was completely oblivious to, though he did give a quiver when he accidentally thought back on the images. Everyone was outside in the junkyard where they had all gathered to see the robot - the car - Escaflowne - _whatever_ it is they wanted to call it - at its highest and most glorious state. Once Hitomi had calmed down and begun trying to relax her panicked gang, the machine released a chorus of metallic crunches, groans and rumbles, before amazingly sinking back down to its realistic size. It was now hidden behind the mountains of car scraps that the gang had constructed over the past few months. No one could see it.

Barkley lifted his head, slightly, and pointed awkwardly at nothing in particular, "So... you're tellin' us... that... that _thing_, was a car. But its... not a car... and it's actually a robot?"

Van and Hitomi exchanged unsure glances with each other from where they sat. Hitomi was sitting in a shredded, mouldy old armchair, while Van was perched on a plastic stack of boxes that he had managed to settle upon with a small jump. The guys were obviously in shock, just as they had been when they too had first discovered the car's ability to transform. But how would they understand? How would they accept it?

"It's fucked up, that's what it is," Shark sighed stressfully and removed his foot from the stack of iron planks on which he had been leaning, "No way is that possible!"

Hitomi rolled her eyes impatiently, "Clearly it is, Shark."

"Don't take that fucking tone with me, chick!" Shark pointed at her angrily, "This is _so_ fucked up, I might actually be a little intimidated!"

Mirage shook his head, "Shut up, Shark. We're all in the same position here."

Shark turned his aggression to the cocky flirt of the group, "You got something to say, cracker-jack?"

Barkley jumped to his feet, "Alright, shutup - all of you!"

Just from hearing his authoritative voice, everyone settled down instantly. Shark slowly sat back down. Chomp went back to licking his lips in thought, Mirage sighed to himself, Van and Hitomi rubbed their faces, and Barkley just looked round at everyone a little anxious. He didn't know what to say, what to do - now that Logic was lying in bed with chronic injuries, he had naturally been accepted as the new 'leader'. The next in line to take on the role of the person who made orders and kept the peace.

"What are we going to do with it?" Spektor finally spoke; evidence of his calm attitude purred on the tip of his tongue and helped the atmosphere soften somewhat.

Everyone looked to him, considering his sensible words. He was the wise, meditative one of the crew. And he had just stated what needed to be discussed. No more arguments and petty insults.

Barkley ran his fingers through his dark hair, licking his lips, "... We can't keep it here. It'll attract too much attention."

Hitomi's eyes widened, "What're you sayin'?? We can't just trash it. Logic risked everythin' for that car - we _all_ did!"

Barkley was clearly under stress by the shimmer in his usually gentle eyes, "Come on, Boots... you know I'm talkin' sense. I don't wanna' be the bad guy here, but someone's gotta' make a decision. If we keep that vehicle, who knows when it'll next go off. It's too dangerous."

Hitomi sniggered, "Dangerous? Since when have any of us cared about danger?"

Chomp sheepishly nodded, eyeing the crew, " No one will have to know. This place is secluded from the rest of the City. We're literally on the banks."

Hitomi nodded passionately as she latched onto his support, "Yeah, yeah - exactly. No one can see a thing here."

Barkley began to pace. Van watched him from his sunken, comfortable seat, thoughts streaming, emotions bubbling. He needed to step in, soon.

"This is a whole different thing from what we're used to," Barkley hissed, "Jobs - raids - riots - we've done it all. But nothin' like this."

It was true. Hitomi gradually lowered back down into her seat as to announce that she was giving in. She couldn't win against Barkley. He was talking sense, and she knew it, though she wanted to fight - she wanted to argue for what she believed in. But to anyone else, she sounded insane. They couldn't keep the machine, right?

"... There's always a first for everything," Chomp nibbled his bottom lip thoughtfully.

But then, out of the blue, Van decided to give a little chuckle to himself and shake his head. It was obvious that everyone had forgot he was even there. All eyes shifted onto his shadowed visage under the moonlight. It was coming onto early morning now. Soon, the orange sun would be rising, and the sky would throb with passionate pinks and blues, like fresh fruit blooming on exotic lands. But they still had time do deliberate.

Shark glared at Van, "Who are you?"

Van kept his cool, "My name's Van Fanel - kidnapped by your own Lara Croft over there. Try to remember that, fishy."

Shark's lips stiffened inwards quite angrily. Hitomi wanted to smile, almost, at seeing the rich boy be so brave and assertive - surely, he would help her keep this new discovery. Shark wasn't having it.

"And what's so funny to you, huh?" He snapped threateningly.

Van shrugged and rubbed his hands together, then started to look round at all the gang members. He looked them dead in the eyes.

"If you're all so accustom to taking chances, and living on the wild side, no fears and no regrets, then what, exactly, _is_ this?" Van continued confidently, looking around still, "You're supposed to be tough, and I've seen the tough side, don't worry... but it's just..."

"Just what?" Shark narrowed his eyes warily.

Van snorted lightly, "I just thought you all would have stolen my car because you _knew_ what it was... But I'm clearly mistaken. You'd be too scared. Guess I'll just take my car back to where we came from and leave you all in peace, hm?"

Van went to stand up, but Spektor roughly slapped his hand down onto his shoulder and forced him straight back down to remain sitting. Van cleared his throat, smiling, nodding awkwardly.

"Or not- I just yeah." Van sighed in failure.

Barkley shook his head to forget what had just happened, "So, wait - you mean to say _you_ never knew your own car was a robot?"

Van shook his head and laughed, "Are you kidding? I've never seen it do anything like that until I met you people. Until I met your little Princess over there"-

"Careful, rich boy." Shark growled.

Van held his finger erect, like a teacher, and smiled patronisingly, "Again - it's Van. 3 letters. Don't worry though, I'm sure you'll catch on soon though young man."

Shark clenched his fist and punched his other hand with it, "You better hold your"-

"Kill it, Shark," Hitomi sighed tiresomely, rolling her eyes, "He's tellin' the truth."

Shark looked horrified, "You wanna' call me stupid too??"

"_No_, you nit," Hitomi grunted and ran her fingers through her fringe, "About his car... about me."

Everyone could detect a vague layer of guilt, somewhere in her voice. She just nodded comfortably, however, and stared at her friends and Van without falter. But she felt bad. Deep down, she felt bad, because of Logic.

Van sensitively continued, "I think it's obvious what causes the car to transform the way it does. It's something to do with Hitomi's earring - according to her emotions, the car reacts by changing its appearance into that... that robot"-

"Robot." Shark snorted cynically.

Hitomi's eyes narrowed with intrigue. Her hand slowly lifted up to her head and her finger tips brushed against the pretty pink gem that hung from her earlobe.

"_Me_?" Hitomi whispered.

Van nodded, "That's right. Every time it's happened, your earring has glowed. And it's glowed only when you've been distressed or frightened... it may sound crazy... but it seems, to me, like the car... the car almost wants to _protect_ you."

The group expressed their scepticism towards his comment by smiling in amusement, sneering, shaking their heads or just lifting their hands to stroke a part of their body in discomfort. He was speaking logically, but no one wanted to believe it.

"Look, kid," Shark chuckled and locked his eyes upon Van who, up until that moment, was exchanging thoughtful stares with Hitomi, "I dunno' what it's like where you come from, but down here, we keep our feet on the ground."

Van looked very angry, "Well what other explanation is there??"

Shark stood up threateningly, "You think you can just spit whatever shit you feel like and it not have any consequences? Get with it, you fuckin' whacko."

Van stood up also, as to accept his challenge, "Coming from the man with a hairstyle like the biggest drug-addict on earth?"

Hitomi, once again, was forced to push herself to her full height and interrupt the heated moment. Hands out, she stepped in between the two men, and huffed in frustration. The atmosphere was hot and heavy.

"For god sakes, quit your bickerin'," She grunted, "You're like two old ladies fightin' over the last biscuit... Now cut it out. This ain't a game."

Van and Shark stared bitterly into each other's eyes. If it wasn't for Hitomi's wishes, they probably would have gone at it - which was quite surprising. Most people would stereotype a 'rich kid' as a weak coward, but he was certainly showing courage in front of a tough, low-life like Shark.

"Now look - if what you're sayin' is true, Van," Hitomi looked at Van with serious, desperate eyes, "Then all I gotta' do is control my emotions around that thing, right?"

Van hesitated, but finally nodded, "... Yes."

"Then it's all good," Hitomi looked to Barkley, smiling, with faith, "It's easy. No one'll know a thing. I'll just make sure I feel nothin' when I'm near it, and that'll be that."

"You make it sound like a piece uh' pie, Boots," Barkley scoffed, "Are you hearin' yourself? How can you not _feel_."

"It's not that hard," Hitomi quietly breathed; Van watched her in ponder; she was reflecting on the past, "Think of what we can _do_ with that car"

Barkley didn't look so approving. Chomp started crunching on hi s dirty fingernails at this point as though he had better things to do than sit around and bicker over a car; little did he know just how amazing it was. And Spektor, the wise one, well he just remained sitting where he was and observed the conversation carefully, until he felt he had a relevant point to make or was forced to involve himself.

"Boots," Barkley began, shaking his head-

Hitomi sighed, impatient, "Oh come on! You have no idea what speed it holds! Think of what that can do for us... for Logic... He needs medical treatment. We ain't gettin' that type of money without winnin' the Grands next week."

"Grands?" Van inquired in concern, he didn't like the sound of that.

Shark snickered, as if to mock him, "You really are a naive rich kid..."

Van held his ground and waited for him to continue - despite the insult. If you could even call 'rich kid' an insult, anyhow? It was better than what _he_  
"Grands takes place every six months- twice a year," Shark explained proudly, "People come from all over the country just to sign up for it. There's three rounds - the winner takes away every car they raced, including the wrecked ones. It's a fine deal. Anyone who loves cars n' the thrill of speedin' would be a pussy to pass up the opportunity."

Van snorted and folded his arms stubbornly, "You aren't entering my car into _that_."

Barkley clicked his tongue impatiently, "Oh?"

Hitomi smiled excitedly, "So you'll keep it?"

"No - I didn't - _no_, Boots." Barkley spun away, confused, and embarrassed by what he had just said.

Hitomi rushed towards him in innocent desperation, like a child begging to go on their favourite ride at the fair, "This's what the whole mission was about. The street-war, the police, me sneakin' my ass all the way up those hills... Logic's the way he is now 'coz of that thing. You know I'm right. If we got those cars, we could have everythin' we all dreamt of. N' Logic could go to a real hospital... With that car," Hitomi pointed at arms length to the other side of the junkyard, "we might have a damn good chance at winning you know I'm right, Barkley... _Barkley_."

Van wasn't having any of it, "Didn't you hear what I just said? You're _not_ entering m"-

"Zip it, Princey." Mirage barked hoarsely.

Van was up against a whole gang. He didn't stand a chance. If he had forgotten, he was still a prisoner, a hostage, what the hell. He had no right in the conversation, nor any choice but to let these people do what they wanted with his Escaflowne. Barkley wanted to argue back and snap some reasoning into Hitomi, but he knew he was stuck; he was now the main attraction for all eyes- and all eyes bore an expression the same as Hitomi's into his mind. Barkley had no choice but to back down.

He waved his hand irritably, "Fine - but if any shit hits down, don't come runnin' to me for help. This time you're on your own, Boots."

Hitomi half-smiled, but Van could detect the disappointment in her eyes. But she knew she couldn't be fussy. At least he gave her that much permission, to keep Escaflowne. It was settled; Van heaved a sigh.

**-0-0-0-0-0-**

It was a huge dome, at the top of the tallest hill in all of Angel City. This was the largest, most notorious land in the world - Angel City. And all because of their ruler, the one person sitting in his lab, with his radical visions concerning the future of the planet on which he lives. The dome is huge - the walls are made of a silver iron, which shines and shimmers from the reflection of the light. The light, the electric-blue light, from the lasers that are positioned around the dome on poles. He sits in his chair, in the middle of the room, staring deep into thought with an elbow resting on the arm of his seat, and his fury, grey chin on his fist. Long, white hair, long moustache, and a long, grey robe.

Anyone could easily say Gandalf the White had stepped into The Matrix.

There were three loud booms that echoed about the dome; they came from the entrance door. The solid, metal shield of a door that prevented anyone from coming in, or leaving, without this man's approval. The man flicked a switch on his chair, and upon the floor, above his feet, a screen turned on which was hooked to a camera that looked down at his guests. It was Lord Folken and a few troops.

The ancient, mysterious old man nodded to himself in agreement, and turned off the screen. Pressing another button, the door slid upwards and allowed Folken to stride powerfully into the dome, all the way to where his Lord sat in his seat, pondering, wheezing to himself as he rattled his drying brains for answers. Folken bowed down upon one knee, his cape hanging from his strong body, and Dilandau and 3 other Black Dragon soldiers knelt down behind him in the same respect.

"My Lord Dornkirk…" Folken spoke calmly.

Dornkirk took a moment to catch his breath before speaking, "What news do you bring me, Folken?"

"A vehicle, my lord. A car." Folken remained staring at the silver floor.

The electricity of the powerful lab-dome buzzed all around them. Blue sparks of energy fizzed here and there and darted across the room from one side of a gigantic, ball-shaped machine, to the other, inside its sphere body. It was a magnificent machine - magnificent, but intimidating. It was held in the air, high above their heads, behind that solid seat in which Dornkirk always sat.

"... A car?" Dornkirk repeated with disinterest.

"This car is not just a vehicle, my lord," Folken finally looked up, as to emphasise the importance of what he was about to say, "It somehow was capable of... transforming."

Dornkirk's eyes gradually grew, and grew, until they were as wide with wonder and amazement as they could grow. His old, wrinkled hands gripped the edges of his chair and accidentally pressed down a number of buttons; screens turned on and off, the door went down and up again, alarms cried, electricity zapped all around.

"It _cannot_ be..." Dornkirk spat through the amazement which had clogged in the back of his throat.

"One of Dilandau's men witnessed it himself." Folken announced calmly, unaffected by any of the power dancing around him; although his men were a little wary

Folken slowly glided his eyes over and peered across his shoulder at the soldier he was talking about. He narrowed them. The soldier, upon suddenly understanding his queue, gave a little jump before leaping up and scrambling forwards, only to go back down onto one knee again with his head bowed. Dilandau snickered.

"Th-there were two people. A young man and woman. They were inside when it happened... The car - i-it took the form of a tall, human-like figure, your eminency," The Black Dragon Clan soldier explained, loud, clear, and his voice shaking somewhat, "made entirely of machinery, my lord… almost like a... a robot, my lord, wi"-

"_Robot_?!" Dornkirk unexpectedly boomed.

His voice swooped all round the dome and returned to the middle, where it smacked the nervous soldier in the face, and he was thrown back to his place beside Dilandau in perplexity. As he knelt and bowed his head, Dilandau rolled his eyes and gave another sneer; some soldier he was. But instead of grow angry, Dornkirk did the opposte.

Dornkirk's shrivelled lips curved into a slight smile. This man was happy. Folken had never seen him show so much emotion before - and it wasn't that much. The next three words that slipped from Dornkirk's passionate lips made Folken shift uneasily:

"... They are here."


	6. Eventful Morning, For Sure

_**Hyaline:** _

_I know it's been a long wait. I won't bore you with explanations and my _reasonable _excuses, but instead I'll just get straight to the story. I can assure you, to all fans of this story of mine, that this episode will certainly serve you well. Gossip, juicy events, and the shared narrative between '**Transformers'** and **'Escaflowne'** really picks up here. Also, for certainr easons, I want to yet again state that I do NOT own any of these characters' names or relations, however, I do take credit for the combination of the stories and my own adaption of the characters themselves. Deal with it._

**-0-**

It was coming onto early hours of the morning in Angel City. As the optimistic, warm sun slowly rose higher into the glamorous horizon, both sides of the City became one. Just for this moment, the East and West sides were equal in their share of passionate glow and stood tall and marvellous in their own glory. Light sparkled off the windows, the buildings created proud shadows and all was still... for now.

Inside The Merchants' junkyard-home, the sound of a fuzzy television connection could be heard echoing from the main garage room. Mirage, Barkley and Chomp were sitting around, leaning against railings or cars, watching the screen intensely with confused, intrigued expressions across their faces. What they were seeing was certainly something strange.

"And what we're seeing here is the result of last night's meteor hit," A female news reporter commented with her microphone, "though the Scientists and Forensics working on the site are unnerved to claim that they have found _no _evidence of frost, burnt grovel or any kind of abnormal chemical amongst the rubble. Joining me now is Professor White to elaborate on the situation..."

Mirage gave a cynical little snigger, "Shows how much they know."

"If it weren't meteors, what was it?" Chomp dopily yawned from the back.

"No a clue," Barkley tonelessly replied while deep in thought, "but it was certainly somethin' that wanted to get on the move A.S.A.P."

Chomp and Mirage took Barkley's words quite seriously, though they didn't let it show. The fact that the crater in the ground was so big, so deep, and an entire church had been half-knocked down into a pile of nothing quite unnerved them, and especially because Scientists were saying there was nothing to prove it was a meteor. What the hell would crash down into earth, that powerfully, and be able to move afterwards? The three gang members were distracted so much by this bizarre news report that no one noticed Vaughn, who was lurking at the back of the room, from just having woken from his light doze in the back tool-room.

"Thank you, Professor White," The woman nodded to the scientist before turning back to the camera, "while our professionals are working hours here in Angel City to solve this mysterious case there are also four other locations with similar strange occurrences, starting from Tokyo, to France, Washington DC and Peru..."

"Jesus," Mirage shifted uncomfortably, "I know I sound pussy-whipped but this couldn't be some sorta' alien invasion right?"

Barkley rolled his eyes at the idea. Just at that moment, a sleepy-looking Hitomi strolled into the room through the upper stairs and came to the edge of the balcony above the three men and their television. They all looked up to her as to welcome her into the morning, though Barkley looked slightly concerned.

"You should be resting, Boots." He told her protectively.

Hitomi rubbed the back of her messy head, "It's no big. Besides, with everything that's happened how could anyone sleep?"

But as she said this, Shark released an amusing little snort from inside one of the cars in the garage. Hitomi could see his two feet hanging out from the back window with one shoe on and the other missing; she shook her head in disapproval.

"Organisation Manager, Andrew Webbs, claims that the damage caused upon the ground which would be used at the racing tracks for this year's Grands Race will take several weeks to repair..." The News-reported announced in her emotionless, formal manner.

At hearing this, all three men snapped their eyes back onto the Television screen in alarm while Hitomi flinched as if the words had literally flicked her in the stomach. Had they really just heard this? Hitomi, now interest with worry, leapt over the railings of the balcony and landed strongly on her feet just beside Chomp.

"The team which host and manage the notorious race every year say that the Grands will have to be postponed until the repairs have been completed. This make take up to two months at least.." The woman finally explained.

Hitomi's lips hung agape in dread, "No..."

The woman smiled sympathetically; fakely, "... the team apologise sincerely for the disappointment that will spread through all contestants and patiently-waiting fans of the event."

"_No_!" Hitomi shouted out.

In a burst of rage and disappointment, Hitomi spun round and cast a harsh kick to the oil can which was sitting behind her. The item flew a few feet across the room until it crashed through the back window of the car that Shark was snoring in and caused him to awake with startle and a loud yelp of wake.

"I didn't eat them - I swear!" He cried out breathlessly.

Everyone looked over at him through the window with stale, mournful expressions, though in any other case they would have all probably laughed at him and made fun. Shark, clueless, but instantly detecting the tense atmosphere just sheepishly wiped the drool from his cheek and cleared his throat, as if to excuse himself.

"What's everyone so gloomy about?" He casually, smugly asked, slipping out of the car, "you look like someone's just died..."

This comment was terribly tactless of Shark, although he didn't really know what was going on. But that's why he just shouldn't have said anything at all! Hitomi gave a loud snicker of anger before turning and storming off out of the garage through the side door; everyone glared at Shark.

"What?" He shrugged in annoyance, "what'd I say??"

Barkley just rolled his eyes at the hopeless thug and rubbed the back of his neck in slight distress. Everyone knew what this meant. They were all counting on winning that race so that they could win the money and afford to get Logic to a proper doctor, in a **safe** hospital on the East Side of Angel City. But now... it would probably be too late for him. He needed medical attention within the next week or he was going to _die_.

Hitomi arrived outside in the junkyard and started pacing up and down in a small clearing, where she was surrounded by walls of tires and stacks of rusty car parts. She was breathing heavy, rubbing her forehead, eyes flickering all about in harsh frustration and panic. Her emotions were getting the better of her.

"Careful with them." Vaughn's charming voice spoke out.

Hitomi stopped pacing to look at him impatiently, "What?"

He pointed casually at her and walked further into the clearing, "Your emotions. You might set off Escaflowne again."

Hitomi just stared at him for a moment as if contemplating on whether to yell at him or just accept what he was saying. And she accepted. With a loud huff, the tough girl sank back down onto a small pile of three tires where she leant her elbows on her knees and her forehead in her hands. Vaughn wandered nearer.

"I can't lose him..." Hitomi finally spoke out.

Vaughn lowered down onto a small, metal box opposite Hitomi on the other side of the clearing area. He was being fair to her and keeping a distance until he was welcomed by her to come closer through some kind of body language or speech.

"Who said you're going to?" Vaughn calmly asked, in a rather rhetorical manner.

But Hitomi still answered, and with anger, "Have you seen the state he's in?? He needs blood, and his wounds've brought on a fever. If it doesn't break within the next day he's gonna' die."

Although her voice sounded furious, the look in her wild eyes wasn't anything to do with rage. Vaughn studied her. He could see sorrow, sadness - fear. She was like a vulnerable child just _acting_ tough so that she could survive.

Vaughn tilted his handsome head to one side curiously, "You really love him, don't you."

Hitomi's eyes trailed away from Vaughn as she started to ponder over his statement. Yes, she loved him, very much. If she lost him... what would she do? He was her rock.

"When I ran away from home, I was thirteen," Hitomi gently spoke, reminiscing, "if Logic hadn't found me, I know I'd be dead. Or worse. He was a better father to me than the man who created me. He taught me to defend myself, he taught me about this crazy world and how to read it... about how to live in it. But if he goes... if he leaves me... I-..."

She didn't finish her sentence. Either because it was too hard, or because she didn't want to seem weak in front of Vaughn. But Vaughn predicted, by the look on her sorry face, that it was because she was trying to control her emotions and her memories were making it very hard for her to do that.

"What will you do?" Vaughn finally spoke again; Hitomi looked up in question, "about Logic? How will you afford a hospital, now?"

Hitomi shook her head a little and looked around hopelessly while thinking of an answer. She knew what it was, but she didn't want to have to do it. It was going to be hard to complete the mission without their leader.

"What we do best, I suppose. We'll steal it." Hitomi announced.

Vaughn watched her in slight sadness, "You don't sound very enthusiastic..."

"Oh don't gimme' your sympathy," Hitomi got a little peeved now, "I'm not askin' for any rich kid's sympathy, ok?"

Vaughn held up his hands defensively, "I'm not giving - ok, ok. All I'm saying is that... well- I thought your gang stole things all the time? Like you did Escaflowne."

"We've never done a mission without Logic before." Hitomi sighed, though she was still on edge around Vaughn.

But then... a thought came into Hitomi's mind. Narrowing her suspicious, confused eyes, she looked back to Vaughn and observed him warily as if trying to figure him out. Vaughn just stared back at her.

"Why are you so interested all of a sudden?" She asked cautiously, "why d'you care what happens to Logic? In fact, why haven't you even tried to escape yet?"

Vaughn looked slightly offended, "Y-you know, for a smart girl you do really well at being stupid."

"Excuse me?" Hitomi snickered, insulted also.

Vaughn stood up in his irritation, "I know we're from different worlds. I know you broke into my garage, stole my car - I know you're keeping me hostage and all of you are being complete assholes towards me - but I would never hope for anyone to die."

Hitomi's eyes softened and her eyebrows lifted in an expression of guilt and, also, surprise at Vaughn's wisdom and seeing his soft side. She felt slightly stupid, now.

Vaughn shifted in anger and threw his hand out, "You know what - I may be rich and well-spoken, but I'm not heartless. Get that through your head, ok? Because if you're going to be keeping me here you could at least use the morals that Logic taught you and treat _me_ with a little heart."

Hitomi didn't like being put in her place, but she knew he was right. She knew she had been acting like a complete, nasty bitch towards Vaughn since the moment they had met... and for what reason? Jealousy? Envy for his lifestyle? Stereotype? Well, Vaughn was certainly beginning to prove to Hitomi that he wasn't the typical East-side snob with their heads up their asses and morals mixed in with all that money. Vaughn was... different. He even stood up for himself to Shark.

"I..." Hitomi found it hard to state her thoughts; she hated backing down, "I didn't-..."

Vaughn shook his head bitterly, "You know, anyone can be a low-life, with or without money. It's not a name given to someone who's without wealth and pride - just someone like you. Someone who doesn't feel. But don't worry, you don't need to say anything. I don't need a low-life's sympathy."

When he was finished glaring at her, he turned to walk away. He spoke with such ease, such grace, such softness that only made what he was saying all the more inflictive upon Hitomi's heart. She was stumped. Ashamed of herself, embarrassed, insulted and still so angry at -- herself. She had been acting like one of the selfish animals that Hitomi had judged Vaughn as; she had been venting her fear for Logic out on him this whole time.

"I'm sorry." Hitomi finally whispered.

Tears shimmered in her eyes and her voice clogged in her throat, making the temptation to burst into tears even harder to resist. Vaughn was no longer walking towards the door, but now he was standing still, as if giving her some kind of mercy. A helicopter could be heard approaching through the sky; a news helicopter, filming an over-view of the wreckage at Grands. Vaughn watched it, musing in the silence.

Hitomi shook her head at the floor in shock, "I wasn't-... I didn't mean to-... this is all happening so fast, I"-

Hitomi didn't get the chance to finish her sentence. It was happening again. The earring in her ear started to glow a warning pink, which grew brighter and brighter, until it was impossible for Hitomi not to notice it.

"Oh no." She gasped at herself.

Vaughn saw the reflection upon the side of a broken car and spun round instantly. The two of them looked to each other, as to express and share their apprehension. Vaughn knew it was him who had done it - who had pushed her emotions to a dangerous point. Had his words affected her that greatly? ... Clearly. Vaughn rushed towards Hitomi - what he was planning to do, he had no idea, but he had to think of something right??

"Make it stop!" Hitomi begged him, flapping her hands about, "the helicopter will see!"

Vaughn's eyes flickered all about in an attempt to do exactly that - make it stop. But what was he supposed to do? Well, the first thing that popped into his head really. So, in a matter of seconds, Vaughn snatched Hitomi up by her wrist and pulled her into him, where he held her there to stare intensely, and _warmly, _into her watery eyes.

Hitomi shook her head worriedly, "What're yo"-

Vaughn used his free hand to place it on her cheek, "Ssshh..."

Hitomi hushed instantly. She stared back up into his own dark, entrancing swirls of chocolate... charmed, swept off her feet. This rich kid really knew how to romance huh. Vaughn stroked his hand down her cheek and tilted her face up by pushing her chin, and just like that, Hitomi allowed him to kiss her. She certainly hadn't expected it and she certainly wouldn't have agreed with it during such a time of panic and austerity... but she let him kiss her. And, in fact, she was kissing back, without her even knowing. Her right hand tightened around the loose sleeve of Vaughn's shirt while the other held him at the side of his gentle neck... It was... kind of... nice? The helicopter was still drifting over them, casting a loud humming vibration down upon them, but the earring was no longer glowing at all.

"Hitomi?!" Shark's furious voice exploded into the scene.

Vaughn and Hitomi opened their eyes and stared into each other like piece's of intriguing art. What had just happened? Well, they obviously knew - they had kissed. But _what _was happening? Was that kiss real or just a distraction? Shark stormed towards them both and tore Vaughn away from Hitomi by the scruff of his shirt, to push him back up against a wall of car pieces.

"Shark!" Hitomi snapped in disapproval.

Shark glance back at her hopefully, "Want me to rip his face off??"

"Let me _go_, you imbecile!" Vaughn grabbed his wrists and gave a mighty effort at escaping.

The two men suddenly proceeded in combat. A punch to Shark's jaw, an elbow in Vaughn's chest, then a kick round the back of Shark's legs so that he was on the floor so that Vaughn could swiftly jump down upon him and cast a few more punches to his face. Hitomi was impressed to see the rich-kid winning, but it was no reason to let the violence continue between the two guys. Hurrieldy, she scrambled over to them and ripped Vaughn off of Shark.

"Thanks, Tomi." Shark coughed, wiping some blood.

"Oh shut up," Hitomi sneered angrily, "you _ass_."

"He was kissing you!" Shark blurted out, perhaps in jealousy.

Hitomi and Vaughn exchanged unsure, perhaps slightly bashful glances. They didn't really know how to react. But all they **did **understand was that their little moment had saved them all - and Escaflowne.

"It was for Escaflowne's sake." Hitomi announced proudly.

Wow - did Vaughn feel some kind of deep, subtle annoyance from that statement? Did he actually feel used - belittled - irrelevant? He had just kissed her, fair enough, to save Escaflowne... but it... it felt so real at the time. Was it just an illusion, caught up in the moment? Just as Shark was about to bark back some kind of stubborn argument, the situation was swiftly interrupted by a blasting Jazz tune. It was fuzzy, sounding rather weary, but it was very close by. Shark, Hitomi and Vaughn looked around curiously, and within a few seconds they were joined by Barkley, Mirage, Chomp and the silent but wise Spektor.

"That's not you guys?" Hitomi asked Barkley warily.

Barkley shook his head apprehensively, sending her the unnerved gleam in his eyes. The song grew louder - stronger - _closer _- and then they arrived. Just like that, The Merchants felt the ground shudder and rumble from the pressure of something large, something powerful. Banging, crashing, thudding like a volcano, the 7 of them released sudden yells of alarm and absolute vulnerability at the sight of spotting large, fast shadows swoop over their heads through the sky. They all ducked down to the ground just in time to feel the earth shudder and tremor most so that the rumble disturbed the silence of everyone's' bones.

Barkley was the first to lift his brave head. And what he saw made him lean back in sudden fear - aghast - in awe - totally dumbstruck. There, before him, stood a group of tall, noble, fantastic mechanical robots mixed of greys and their own colours. Was this really happening?

"Holy shit." He mumbled breathlessly.

"Incorrect," One of the larger robots casually replied, "I am Optimus Prime. We must find the Allstar, and our calculations have led us to believe that you know where it is. You must help us."

At hearing this robotic voice, the others began to look up one-by-one. And as sure as anything, there they were. These amazing, unnerving robots, reaching high into the air and creating powerful shadows over them all. Shark let his lips hang agape and the other men just... gaped. Speechless. In a dream-like state. This only happened in sleep! Although the grand Optimus Prime said the word 'you', his shadow leered mostly over Vaughn and Hitomi. His head titled downwards with the sound of an electronic squeak; the two of them knew he was studying them.

"_You_," Optimus Prime called them both, "you can help our mission; you know the locations of the map."

Hitomi and Vaughn, however, just remained gazing up at this monstrous, magnificent creature in all kinds of emotional states. They weren't really, truly, sanely looking at 4 human-like robots were they? One of them... was Escaflowne. The only person who spoke was Mirage, and he released his questioning pronunciation in a fashion of pathetic confusion which made it clear that these 'humans' deserved some explanations... :

"_Eeehhh_?"


End file.
